I  sat        in the hard yellow chair, working on the long packet presented by the teacher, my hand cramping, listening to the quiet chatter of the students in front, behind, beside me. I could only faintly make out the words, not really paying attention. Then I heard it. The sharp words pierced my body and I was stuck just standing there, shocked, while it was slowly fell off. It was a personal attack. GAY.
Flashback: I remember saying it, “That’s gay!” to my mom. She looked down with pain in her eyes and then she looked up at me. “What does that mean?” I was stumped. It was obvious right? “It’s dumb!” The words were out before I could stop them. They hurt me because they hurt her,  my own mother,  my best friend, the person who loved me unconditionally. My mother is a lesbian and I called her dumb.  I couldn’t believe I said it.  But I now understood.
It wasn’t right when I said it, and it wasn’t right when I heard it. Every time I hear those brutal words, it is a personal attack on my family and me. People use those words in everyday conversation like it’s nothing.  And they don’t even know.  They don’t know me; they don’t know the pain they cause others because I guarantee you, I’m not the only one, and really it’s not only the one word.
Stop. Think. If your words hurt, they are not okay. This is about respect: respecting each other, respecting each other’s feelings. Every day someone     is hurt by words. There is an easy solution. Think before you speak, think about the people around you, think about how you would feel if someone said something derogatory about you.
Flashback: I slowly walked into the living room, where my mother was sitting watching television. I crept in and sat down beside her, hugged her and said, “I love you for being my mother, and I don’t think you’re dumb. Never again will I use those words.”